Dawn Patrol

Welcome to the Dawn Patrol, our daily roundup of information on the War on Terror and other topics - from the MilBlogs, other blogs, and the mainstream media. If you're a blogger, you can join the conversation. If you link to any of these stories, add a link to the Dawn Patrol too and your trackback will be added to the list. (We have a daily "Open Post" too, if you have something on another topic you can link there.)

EDITOR'S NOTE: MSM reports will be temporarily eliminated from the Dawn Patrol until PCSing is complete.

IRAQ

"What's it really like over there?" -- [A Mobilized Year - in Iraq]
While I was away on leave, I was asked on a number of occasions, “what is it really like over there?” Because it’s difficult to answer that question in the implied 30 seconds that one has to reply, my responses often varied, depending on the person and his or her interest.
...I touched on a variety of topics that addressed that very issue—living conditions, language, equipment, “how the war is going,” interactions with Iraqis, culture, weather, religion, geography, etc. I included plenty of pictures. One topic I decided to cover was media reporting. ...

I can't recall the last time I posted an entry... -- [My Turn - in Iraq]
But... that's a good thing I guess. Nothing has been going on. There haven't been any mortar attacks lately... and supposedly the guy directly in charge of mortaring this base... has been arrested by the Iraqi Army.
So... what's that mean?
This place will be more like how it was before I arrived here... a rare thing for a mortar attack to occur. I spoke with an Iraqi civillian here about 1 month after getting to this base, he said that it had been a little over a year since this place had been mortared last.

Iraq and National Reconciliation -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Bill Roggio]
National Review Online invited me to participate in an online symposium about the Iraqi government's efforts to end the insurgency by offering a plan for national reconciliation. There has been much criticism of this plan as it is feared insurgents responsible for killing American soldiers will be given a pass for their crimes. But in a war, there is no option to allow for 100% punishment of enemy combatants; for example, hundreds of thousands of Nazis escaped judgment at the end of World War II Bringing warring parties to the table often calls for seemingly distasteful compromises, but the ultimate goal of the government in an insurgency is to affect a political settlement.

Did Iran help in locating Zarqawi? -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Olivier Guitta]
In fact, a credible Moroccan newspaper, La Gazette du Maroc, is affirming that Zarqawi was caught thanks to Iran and was the first gift to the US.
Sounds like a conspiracy theory? Maybe not.

Gunfire and Smoke -- [Just Another Thunderhorse Roughneck! - in Iraq]
Let’s see, drove by a gunfight but that’s not all. We also came close to a motor impact. This afternoon we were driving in Baghdad when I began to hear some gunshots. They were very distinctive. At first I heard one and thought it was nothing. We were still driving down the road when I heard more and more. Oh boy, those are real. There is gunfire. I didn’t know where it was coming from though. It hard to tell what direction the fire is coming from sometimes.We came on the scene pretty quick. It happens when we’re driving pretty fast. There it was on the right, the gunfire. There were not troops but like guys in civilian clothing and tactical gear. I wasn’t sure whether they were contracted security or not.

Why Russia? -- [Peace like a River]
On Sunday, the Mujahideen Shura Council in Iraq said it had executed the four Russian diplomats being held hostage. The diplomats were taken June 3 in Baghdad. A fifth Russian diplomat was killed in the attack.
The announcement included a grim reminder of barbaric nature of the terrorists in Iraq.

General ‘Black Jack’ Pershing -- [American Soldier - injured in Iraq]
...Let me remind you, the military is arresting its own members who go outside the wire and do the most unthinkable every single day. My only question is what is the difference between the Army when General Pershing was around and now? Have we really gotten a conscience about the brutalities of war?
General Pershing did something that if done in today’s war could possibly put an end to some things.

Send a Clear Message -- [Blue Star Chronicles]
I went out into the dinning area at work today to chit-chat for a few minutes with my employees. It was the usual conversation for a minute or two and then one lady asked me how my son is doing.
I started replying, but before I could say much she got to what she apparently was wondering. She asked, ‘How does it make you feel to hear about what happened to those soldiers?’.
This particular woman isn’t known for her tact and the question didn’t particularly bother me, but it obviously bothered the others sitting at the table.

Iraqi Insurgents Seeking Negotiated Peace? -- [Outside the Beltway - James Joyner]
Edward Wong reports that several insurgent factions are asking for negotiations with the Iraqi government.
...Bruce McQuain takes a look at the groups purported to be among the six or seven taking al-Maliki up on his offer and notes that many of them see the Iranians as a greater threat than any internal forces. That strikes me as plausible.

It's all about the kids! -- [Combat Medic In Iraq - in Iraq]
How's everybody doing? Hopefully as good as me:) I've spent the past few days doing a whole bunch of nothing due to an ankle injury, so I get to update again:) I am good to go now, and with any luck I'll be back in the city tonite! We recently visited a nice town near Mosul that is mainly made up of christians who we try to visit every now and then. The weather hasn't changed here at all, still really hot. I woke up this morning to a loud *whamp*...which turned out to be a mortar round...

Marines on the Roof -- [The Babylon Blog - in Iraq]
Although I constantly tell my wife that conditions are relatively safe here (and I do sincerely believe that… it’s not just part of my “information operations” campaign,) the fact remains that I live and work on a military base in the middle of a war-torn country. And like any base, we have guards...

CINC Jogs with Wounded Soldier -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
From a May 6 interview on CNN:
GUPTA: You know, it's really remarkable because I think for the average person who's never met someone who's had a limb amputated. They didn't realize you could get around as well as you can. I mean, it was really remarkable to see you doing those exercises and everything. I mean, could you go running with the president today if he asked?
And yesterday he did just that. After changing into his jogging prosthetics in the Oval Office, SSG Christian Bagge headed out for a run with President Bush on the track that circles the White House's South Lawn.

An Amazing Group of Volunteers -- [Broken Masterpieces]
The men come from all over the state, including San Diego County. They signed up for an especially dangerous mission in Iraq: providing security for U.S. military convoys, which are often targets of roadside bombs and other attacks. Roadside bombs are the single biggest killer of U.S. troops in Iraq.
I first heard about this story yesterday on the way home from work. I'm just amazed at these people and proud that they are Americans. Many of them are going back a second or third time for this extremely dangerous duty.

Sunny & Hot -- [Carpe Diem ~ The New Iraqi Army - in Iraq]
...My position here is enormous in terms of responsibility, more than I ever thought possible. I will have my hands full and it does not look like there will be hardly any free time. The hours so far have been staggered but needless to say I don’t leave my office until 11:00 PM most evenings and I arrive usually around 8:00 AM. I will have a month to cross train with my replacement; if anyone knows me that is way too long. I am ready to get it started but I have to wait patiently and “play the game.” I am ready to assume my duties right now!

A Caveat from the Future (or maybe the past) -- [The Foxhole Philosopher - in Iraq]
Once upon a time, Iraq was a prosperous nation, that spanned huge swaths of land, produced all it needed, and was the envy of all around it. Actually, three times upon a time. The first was the long period during which alternatively the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Babylonians (again), and Medes (which many Kurds believe that they are descendents of) ruled what is now Iraq, and they were arguably the most prosperous and advanced nation during this time.
...However, now, Iraq is a basket case, and it has nothing to do with George W. Bush’s policies, or military mistakes. Iraq has slowly been ruining itself over the last two hundred years!

AFGHANISTAN

OPERATION ENDURING BOREDOM - EPISODE XIII -- [American Citizen Soldier - in Iraq]
...The officers and senior NCOs here at Camp Blackhorse work closely with the Afghans and have much more personal contact with them than we do, so it was nice to hear that we aren’t perceived as just another group of meddling invaders by the average Joe Haji. It helps to know your sacrifice is appreciated on some level by someone somewhere, especially when so many of your own countrymen could perceivably care less.

Crossin' the Pech -- [AfghaniDan - in Afghanistan]
Afghan soldiers were among the first I saw after jumping out of the engineer vehicle with my gear and crossing a field, getting curious looks from farmers, to link up with the convoy about to attempt a crossing.
Another view of the opposite bank, where it became clear that the carnival had truly come to town, and it was us. Villages on both sides were glued to the spectacle...
And a spectacle it turned out to be. Just as soon as the crossing began, it ground to a halt in a few feet of rushing river.

Into the Korengal -- [AfghaniDan - in Afghanistan]
'Stand to' comes early in the field - it's the hour when all are to be up and on watch, guarding against a daybreak attack or other suspicious activity. It wasn't hard to be up that early when sleeping on a rock river bed anyway, so I didn't mind much.
...At long last, we were underway...and driving literally up a river for a stretch. As noted before on this journal, sometimes that IS the road.

When an epiphany is not an epiphany -- [Pyjama Samsara - aid Worker in Afghanistan]
So, I hadn't done the Official vasco_pyjama Commentary on the further escalation of violence in Afghanistan in the last month. You see. It's not that I'm not following it. It's just that I'm too overwhelmed and too saddened.
What can I say that I haven't already said? We need more troops. We need the troops to be better coordinated, rather than fragmented into their contributing country fiefdoms. We need the troops to stop mucking around with 'reconstruction' work, but instead, provide a secure environment for NGOs and aid contractors to do that.

U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

New U2 Spy Plane Arrives in South Korea -- [GI Korea]
The US Air Force has a new toy to play with in Osan:
The U.S. Air Force has deployed an updated version of its U-2 spy plane in South Korea, but a military official said on Monday the move was previously planned and not related to a possible North Korean missile launch.

Billions For the Bully's Buddies -- [Strategy Page]
June 28, 2006: Increasingly, the leadership is telling foreigners concerned over Iran's nuclear weapons program, to butt out. Iranian negotiators seem intent on saying what is necessary to prevent European negotiators from actually imposing any sanctions, while not making any concessions regarding the Iran nuclear programs. Meanwhile, ...

Israel Begins Gaza Military Operations, With Possible End of Hamas Government (updated) -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Andrew Cochran]
Israel has started a military campaign in Gaza against the Hamas-run Palestinian Authority, after Hamas refused to release Cpl. Gilad Shalit. This follows numerous attempts at negotiation through various third parties, and Israeli officials sent public and private signals in the past three days, including in private sessions with including journalists and bloggers, that they meant business and would not wait long. This operation will be extensive and could mean the complete end of the Hamas government.

WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

Threatening Phone Calls to Families -- [Strategy Page]
June 28, 2006: Iraqi terrorists have hacked into wireless phone systems in southern Iraq, obtained the number that British soldiers were calling back home in Britain, and then made threatening calls to those numbers.

The Multiple Challenges of Terrorist Financing -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Dennis Lormel]
Terrorist financing presents a multi-dimensional challenge. When assessing terrorist financing, the tendency is to do so in an all encompassing generic sense. In actuality, terrorist financing should be broken down to its myriad of component parts. Strategies and methodologies should be focused on specific considerations, not generalities.

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

An Angel’s Sigh -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
To all Angels,
You all have done so much for us and made our deployments so much easier through emails, letters and mail. So I wrote a poem to show my appreciation. I really do hope you can make sure it gets to everyone some way some how, because I am really grateful. It's called An Angel's Sigh. Please enjoy and smile because all of your hard work and efforts have been seen by God and he has carried your blessings to me and every Soldier in the world.
SPC Maurice in Iraq

An Outpouring of Community Support -- [Serving the People of Iraq and Iran - home from Iraq]
One of the most beneficial parts of military service is the involvement of community before, during, and after its soldiers deploy. Support for the Triple Deuce has been overwhelming in all these phases, but is especially noticeable now that we have arrived back in Utah.

Will You Answer The Call -- [Soldiers Angels Network]
home.
(PRWEB) June 19, 2006 -- Soldiers' Angels Needs Americans help. They have recently been flooded with requests from Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen deployed and serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. These military members range from Privates to Colonels, asking the organization for help with much needed comforts of home.

MILITARY

All Things Considered -- [From My Position]
Yesterday marked the 1st anniversary of me getting my ass splattered all over the lower al-Abarra province. Since then, Lieutenant Colonel (at the time Major) Kareem saw to it that the son of a whore who set off that IED was brought to justice. He took the attack very personally. He is one of the very few people I met in Iraq that I would loved to have hosted here in the US, or even taken my family to visit in a few years. Unfortunately, he was killed by another son of whore later that year.
But other things have happened in this year.

Six months later -- [MREater]
I've been home for about six months now, and a blurb I wrote for a local publication kind of sums things up. Here it is.
Slipping seamlessly back into civilian life does not exactly describe my experience since returning from Iraq. I remembered how to drive a car, operate a washer, look up a statute, turn right on red and ride a bicycle, but I’ve enjoyed odd little hiccups of reentry.

POLITICS

Quick, Hand Me the Ducktape! -- [Fire and Ice - combat artist]
Well, the Democratic slight of hand, as predicted, continues. The Washington Post, in an article today titled Democrats Site Report on Troop Cuts in Iraq, heavily quotes Dem spokesmodel Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif). She says (get ducktape out now and begin wrapping your head):...
...So, let me see if I understand her correctly. The Dems are the true force behind success in Iraq, and they and our military are reading off the same sheet of music. Man, I hope this ducktape holds. There is a reason why there are phrases like "flies in the ointment", "zits on the ass of progress", "sunshine patriots", "useful idiots" and "lambs to the slaughter".

Flag-burning and Freedom -- [Intel Dump - J.D. Henderson]
The Senate (again) almost passed an amendment banning the burning of our flag.
"Countless men and women have died defending that flag," said Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., closing two days of debate. "It is but a small humble act for us to defend it."
I never took an oath to a flag, or a geographical location, or to a government, and certainly not to any man or office. Many soldiers around the world have died to protect their flag, but Sen. Frist is wrong. America is different.

Georgia’s Little Jihadist Part II: The Cracker Story -- [The Will to Exist - in Iraq]
So our favorite black supremacist Cynthia Mckinney is back in the headlines again. Apparently the spokeswoman for equal rights and civil liberties doesn’t have a problem with people using racial slurs on her campaign site. Oxymoron?

Idaho Democrats -- Against The Mexican War! -- [The Stupid Shall Be Punished]
...Ever since I got kicked out of the Republican Party for supporting Democrat Larry Grant for Congress, I've been worried about the Idaho Democratic Party convention that was held this weekend. Mostly, I was worried that my new party would come out of the convention with all sorts of weird ideas that I wouldn't be able to support, especially about the Global War on Terror.
It turns out I didn't need to worry.

THE MEDIA

Tagesspiegel Blames Haditha partly on a Military Dominated by "White Trash" and Minorities -- [Atlantic Review]
Berlin's leading paper Der Tagesspiegel always answers some "Questions of the Day" on page 2. On Saturday, Caroline Fetscher answered the question whether some individual Marines are responsible for the alleged massacres in Iraq or whether these instances indicate a problem of the entire US military. She considers the alleged massacres to be more of the latter:

My Little Letter -- [T.F. Boggs - in Iraq]
Concerning the letter I wrote to Mr. Keller of the New York Times I have received quite a few emails and have been the subject of several online forums. Mostly people agree with what I had to say but there are others who criticize me for numerous things including fanning the flames of hatred towards the media, being over the top, not thinking clearly, and my personal favorite not being a real person who is in the military. All of the discussion has gotten me thinking about what I had to say in my letter.

The Times And Citizenship -- [Winds of Change - Armed Liberal]
...I don't think that the newspapers are treasonous, or doing this solely in an effort to thwart President Bush (i.e. I don't think that a Democratic president would be getting a free ride right now). That doesn't mean that the impacts of what they are doing doesn't damage the country, put lives at risk, or negatively impact President Bush's effectiveness.
I think, in simple terms, that they have forgotten that they are citizens, and that they have an obligation to the polity that goes beyond writing the good story.

How More Media in Iraq Would Help -- [The Foxhole Philosopher - in Iraq]
I wish that we had more media and not less here in Iraq. While in the past I have said that the Mass Media is not our ally, and I stand by that, at least somewhat, I have come to believe it is the absence and not the presence thereof that is the problem.
Right now, journalists rely on stringers, or at best show up for a few days in a year and they don't really have a firm grasp on the situation. The solution would be to have embedded journalists over the long haul. We could easily protect them, and they would really know what is going on.

The Axis of Abuse -- [Strategy Page]
Call it the Washington Beltway's "Axis of Abuse": irresponsible reporters and editors collaborating with agenda-ed, unnamed "leakers."
The exposure of a legal and productive counter-terror intelligence operation on the front page of the June 23 edition of The New York Times is the latest abusive and dangerous example of this Beltway hustle.

CONGRATS

New Arrival -- [Charlie Company - in Iraq]
Congratulations to Tanesha and Sgt Jose Alicea (2nd Plt) for the arrival of their son, Christian Luis. He was born on June 21st @ 11:04, weighing 9lbs 1oz.

WELCOME HOME

I'M HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -- [Hoping the World Won't Pass Me By... - home from Iraq]
It's been a long time, but now I'm finally home to stay! No more two week leave periods in which I have to rush everything I want to do into a short time, now I can finally relax and enjoy the life I left behind (haha...). Overall, I'm so glad I went through this deployment, I met so many new friends, and it's really made me appreciate what I have back home. I kind of took that for granted. Not anymore!

IN MEMORY OF...

Bush Consoles Russia, Ignores Barbaric US Soldier Slaughter -- [Gateway Pundit]
Being a die-hard Bush supporter, this is really hard to figure out...
Not since Al Qaeda dragged the bodies of US soldiers through the streets of Mogadishu has America witnessed such barbarism as the slaughter of Private Kristian Menchaca of Houston and Private Thomas Tucker of Oregon last week.

For A Hero -- [Blue Crab Boulevard] HT: Dadmanly
The first thing that hits you are the flags.
Midwestern towns don't have suburbs. You'll be driving past corn fields, sometimes beans or wheat, then *click* just like that you are in a town. Today, the second you enter the town, there are the flags. From tiny ones to a mammoth one flying from the extended boom of the fire company's ladder truck, they are everywhere. Some people have planted rows of small flags on the edge of the lots, others are on poles. Some have flags hanging from buildings. There are dozens of hand lettered signs,too.